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Chill Out, FreakOctober 28 - Leg 5

Previously on THE AMAZING RACE...sixteen
Americans travelled from Indonesia to the capital city of Bangladesh.
While many of the Racers fixed up the side of a bus before going
to either hammering spikes or stuffing mattresses, James & Abba
(Team Hair Metal) decided to collect dead rats in order to win the
FAST FORWARD and finish the Leg in first. Unfortunately for Gary
& Will (Team Sub Teachers), their luck ran out and they were
sent back to Michigan. Six teams are still Racing for a million...and
one for TWO million...who will be Philiminated NEXT?!

PIT STOP #4SHYAMBAZAR
CHAN MIA GHATOLD
DHAKA, BANGLADESH

At the outskirts of the "City
of Mosques" (where 90% of the locals are Muslim), the two rockers
ready themselves for Leg 5. But,...two hours before they start,
James gets some bad news from home. His father, who has been fighting
cancer for years, is not doing well at all. In fact, he doesn't
have long as the cancer has no chance of remission. James is sad...but
he vows to continue the Race, thinking of his dad and using him
as motivation. Abba, of course, is there for his friend.

0739
LOCAL TIME

And so, with a heavy heart and a tear
in either eye, James & Abba start the Leg with this clue:

ROUTE
INFO

TIME TO GET
FRESH!

Make your way on foot to
Sadar Ghat (and the marked taxi stand) and then by taxi to
Jatrabari Boro Bazar, the largest fresh produce market in
Dhaka. Once there, find the "begun" vendor and he
will hand you your next clue.

You have $1 for this Leg
of the Race.

(They don't know that
"begun" (pronounced be-GOON) is the local word for "eggplant".
And having only $1 usually means you're STAYING in the area so...hope
everyone likes Dhaka)

Through the crowded streets
of the capital city Team Hair Metal push their way to the taxi stands.
The next time they want to see ANY other team is among the eliminated
teams applauding them as they run up to see Phil proclaiming them
the million-dollar winners. They have a sizable lead to start with
(just over two hours), so they are still alone on the course as
they arrive at...

JATRABARI
BORO BAZARDHAKA,
BANGLADESH

As the Geico(TM) commercials
would say, Gallagher would have a FIELD DAY here. The team asks
around for "begun" and get pointed the way to the eggplant
vendor. The vendor pulls out of his shirt the clue to their next
destination:

ROUTE
INFO

GO UNDER THE
BRIDGE!

Make your way by taxi to
Ferry Ghat Road under Demra Bridge. Once there, search for
your next clue.

Winning the two mil is
nice...but Ryan wants Abbie & he to tie or set the record for
most Legs won set by Rachel & Dave in the previous Race, thus
making THEM the "strongest team ever". The twins are happy
to not only be the last two-girl team left but to be BEATING many
of the other teams (especially the two remaining two-guy teams)!
they ask they're cabbie to "beat the goras"; "goras"
means "white people" though they claim it's NOT derrogatory.
Josh & Brent are less comfy with being together 24/7 as Brent
usually works in the city and helps farm with Josh on weekends.
Did you know that Kelley is also a rodeo barrel racer? Keen.

FERRY
GHAT ROAD UNDER DEMRA BRIDGE DHAKA,
BANGLADESH

James & Abba arrive at the bridge,
find the Clue Box and read their next:

ROADBLOCK

IT AIN'T HEAVY,
IT'S A ROADBLOCK.

In Bangladesh, people use
scales to put value to the goods they sell. One team member
must build a rudimentary Bengali scale out of ropes and sticks.
Then they must USE the scale to balance four heavy stones
on one side with an equal weight of wood on the other. Once
the scale is in balance, a nearby worker will hand you your
next clue.

James decides to give
this a whirl, since Abba has had problems with his knees from the
last Leg. James was a Boy Scout and remembered building tents with
the same tripod of bamboo...but by now has forgot the exact process.
After a few falls, he gets the big tripod to stand. He starts to
hook up the scale proper. But when he asks for a ruling about it,
he gets a 'no'. He looks again at the "control" scale...and
realizes that there are small "lashing ropes" on the top.
He can't find said lashing ropes, though (but, of course, the CAMERAMAN
does). He finally DOES find them hanging up on a wooden pole.

Meanwhile, Abbie &
Ryan and Natalie & Nadiya arrive at the market and search for
the "begun" vendor. They eventually find him and leave
for the ROADBLCOK in second and third. And the fourth, fifth and
sixth teams leave the PIT STOP.

THIS time, James gets
the nod and grabs four heavy stones to place on one side of the
scale. He then grabs a big log and a number of sticks. With careful
manipulation, he gets the scale's needle to point straight up...and
the worker gives him the thumbs-up, as well as the next clue. And
from the ROADBLOCK, they run right into the next:

DETOUR

STRAW DOGS
or BAMBOO JUNGLE?

STRAW DOGS: Have it in the
bag! You must help a local company great an eco-friendly "juke
bag" out of straw. First, take strands of unprocessed
juke (straw) and whip it on a plate of tall nails to untangle
the strands. Once 20 bundles are hackled, you must bring one
large bundle to the production line (at Mill No. 2) used to
make the bags. Once you reach the end of the production line,
a worker will hand you your next clue, which is ON a juke
bag.

BAMBOO JUNGLE: Haul bamboo!
Head for the bamboo plant and haul 40 bamboo poles of various
lengths (10 tall, 10 medium, 20 short) from a marked rack
through the plant, loading them onto a freight rickshaw. Then
bike the rickshaw through the congested streets of Dahka to
a construction site where they will use it to make scaffolding.
Once all 40 poles are delivered, the foreman will hand you
your next clue, which is on a piece of bamboo.

Either way sounds like
heavy lifting, but Team Hair Metal decide to negotiate the BAMBOO
JUNGLE and grab their cab to make their way.

Some time later, Team
Dating Divorcees arrives at the ROADBLOCK. Upon reading the clue
about it, they think it's something Abbie could handle since "it
ain't heavy". Oops...it IS heavy! What's more, Abbie's NOT
good with her hands...so she's pretty clueless. As she starts, Nadiya
of Team Jersey Twins gets started...and, of course, Natalie is cheering
her "twinie" on LOUDLY. This irks Ryan to no end and he
demands to know if she's gonna be doing this the whole time. Ryan
decides to SHOW how annoying it is by shouting similar encouragement
to Abbie. Nadiya and Abbie themselves aren't very fond of each other...but
they keep things civil as they work.

Back at the market outside
the PIT STOP, Team Beekman Boys are lost in the crowd. This allows
Married Monster Truckers to move into fourth and Team Full Monty!
into fifth. They start to panic as time goes on (and the last team
leaves the PIT STOP), looking and praying for someone to speak English
so they can get on the right path to the taxi stand. When they FINALLY
reach it, Team Texas Two-Step is there WITH them...so it becomes
a race for last.

TARABO
BAZAR DHAKA,
BANGLADESH

James & Abba arrive
at the bamboo market, pick out a rickshaw and look at the "control"
cart to figure out how many they need to haul of what length. Then
they enter the maze of bamboo, looking for the marked rack. It takes
some time but they manage to find it. Between the two, they take
four medium poles and work their way back to their rickshaw. As
the day's heat and humidity gets stronger (this IS straddling the
Tropic of Cancer, after all), Abba can feel it more than any strain
on his knees. The tall poles give them the worst problems as they
kept knocking into everybody like an old clown routine. But they
get all their bamboo and tie it up to transfer to the construction
site.

Back at the ROADBLOCK,
the girls keep at it. Abbie seems to have issues while Nadiya takes
her time (and Natalie gets a local child to cheer her twin on as
well). Nadiya gets the thunbs-up to start weighing...while Abbie
gets the head shake as the scales are hanging too low.

Jaymes & James arrives
at the produce market and searches for the "begun" vendor.
It doesn't take them long to get their next clue and leave for the
'BLOCK in fourth. Right behind them are Rob & Kelley. Some time
later, Josh & Brent get the clue in sixth, but Trey & Lexi
are right on their tails.

As Nadiya starts to put
the wood on her scale, Married Monster Truckers (who somehow beat
the Ja(y)mes Boys) arrive and Kelley elects to do the task. As she
starts to build, Nadiya balances out the scale and gets the thumbs-up,
sending them on the DETOUR in second. They choose BAMBOO FOREST
and leave as Jaymes & James arrive, with Jaymes deciding to
get up to scale (so to speak). Before the dancers arrive, though,
Abbie gets the thumbs-up to start weighing. But, as she gets the
wood and stones on, the worker tells her it needs to be still higher
off the ground. After a quick readjustment of the poles and replacing
sticks and stones, Abbie gets the thumbs-up and she & Ryan leave
in third to do STRAW DOGS. As they split, Brent and Trey opt to
do the 'BLOCK for their respective teams.

Again, it's long poles
that cause the most to-do for Team Hair Metal, swinging wide left
and hitting anything (and anyONE) in the way (and not paying attention).
Needless to say, they are NOT making friends with the locals here.
But a few DO help keep the bamboo steady as they walk through the
narrow streets to the construction site.

Four teams are at the
'BLOCK, and it's Jaymes who (though unsuccessful in getting the
crowd to cheer for him) finishes his scale first. And, though the
rocks and wood are mere INCHES off the ground, they ARE off the
ground and balanced, so Team Full Monty! leaves in fourth and choose
BAMBOO.

Which, by the way, is
at where Team Jersy Twins now arrive. They take some small poles
and haul them to the rickshaw (knocking someone in the head en route)
as they start the task...which James & Abba are now FINISHING
as they arrive at the site. The foreman counts the poles to confirm
the right amount and then hands them a wide block of bamboo with
a picture on it. It's a picture of a house, from the looks of it.
The DETOUR clue says that the clue given them will lead them to
the next PIT STOP. So, essentially, it is saying THIS:

ROUTE
INFO

MAKE YOUR WAY
TO THE NEXT PIT STOP!

This is a picture of Lok
Shilpa Jadughar, a folk art and craft museum in Sonargaon
originally built over 100 years and the PIT STOP for this
Leg of the Race. Travel to it.

WARNING! The last team to
check-in MAY BE ELIMINATED!

The instructions to their
cabbie are dirt simple: "You know where it is? Drive us there!"
Looks like another easy win for the rocker and his lawyer friend.
Meanwhile, Natalie & Nadiya have a trial with the tall bamboo
poles...even smacking into the cameraman once.

LATIF
BAWANI JUTE MILLOUTSIDE
OF DHAKA, BANGLADESH

When Abbie & Ryan
arrive at the straw mill, a group of ladies lead them (and the bunches
of jute) to the "hackling" area. The mill is HUGE...not
to mention rather WARM! Ryan realizes how good they have it back
home. They watch a worker whack the strands on the bed of nails
five times before twisting them and folding them in half to make
a bundle. So the two divorcees get to whacking. Did I mention it
was hot in there? As they continue, their skin shines with sweat.

Back at the 'BLOCK, Trey
gets the OK to weigh. As he piles up the rocks, Brent gets told
it's wrong (the stick holding one of the weight-sides is tied OUTSIDE
the hook instead of INSIDE). As he looks for what's wrong, Kelley
finishes HER scales and gets to weighing. Trey gets things level
and he & Lexi hit the DETOUR in fifth and go to the BAMBOO JUNGLE.
Right behind them, Kelley gets HER wight right, allowing Rob &
he to split in sixth and choose BAMBOO as well. This leaves Team
Beekman Boys in last and still struggling.

PIT
STOP #5LOK
SHILPA JADUGHARSONARGHAN,
BANGLADESH

It was an easy road for
James & Abba today as the head up to Phil and the lovely local
at the mat. Having a two-hour lead and never seing another team
helped matters immensely. After a "Shagotom" (hello) by
the greeter, Phil proclaims them as Team # 1...again. And this time,
Travelocity is sending them to the Malaysian rainforest complete
with kayak tour and Malay massage. They talk about James' father
and James hopes papa's proud of how well they're doing on the Race.
But his family told him to keep going...and so he did...and he will.

Back at STRAW DOGS, Team
Dating Divorcees continue with the hackling until they have twenty
bundles. But the workers there say that half the bundles need to
be hackled some more. Ah, well...a-hackling they will go. After
a while, they notice how the bundles are to be laid out straight
and correct their mistake. This seems to do the trick as the workers
OK their hackling job. Ryan then hefts a larger bundle onto his
shoulder and Abbie directs him through the mill to the drop-off
point. A guard then directs them to the end of the production line
where they pick up the jute bag with the picture of the museum on
the front. They leave for the PIT STOP in second and tell the driver
to haul buns.

Back at BAMBOO JUNGLE,
Jaymes & James arrive and run to find the bamboo they need,
passing Natalie & Nadiya en route. After the girls direct the
guys to the poles, the guys hustle to catch up, hauling six, seven
or eight poles at a time. While the two teams work, Team Texas Two-Step
arrives. The twins tie their bamboo down (busting Nadiya's blister)
and the dancers re-hydrate after hauling many, MANY sticks. Trey
& Lexi try to carry poles by THEMSELVES instead of together...and
carrying them horizontally is NOT a good idea in these tight quarters.
And here comes Married Monster Truckers...and Rob carries TEN of
the small ones HIMSELF (with Kelley lending support)! They start
to cruise...despite Lexi accidentally thwacking Rob with part of
a medium pole.

Aaaaaaand Brent is STILL
having issues putting the scales together. And the heat is getting
to him. Josh is getting QUITE concerned about his partner and wonders
if this is worth it. Brent has worked with dehydrated people before...but
him actually FEELING it is a first for him. But, after a few bottles
of water, he's back in it...and THEN he finds out what he's doing
wrong. He fixes it, gets the OK, puts on the sticks and stones and
Team Beekman Boys FINALLY hit the DETOUR, choosing BAMBOO JUNGLE.

Abbie & Ryan...they
are Team #2...again. Abbie seems all right...but Ryan is upset that
they can no longer take the record for Most Legs Won set last Race.
But Abbie just tells him to smile. And he SHOULD. After all, they
can STILL win more than any other Racers before them!

Team Jersey Twins finish
the tying-up and (after a brief dance with an older gentleman) head
off to the construction site. Just like Team Hair Metal, they have
issues with the long poles going around tight corners. Meanwhile,
Jaymes & James start to tying, despite getting weaker by the
minute because they don't eat to save money. Trey & Lexi haul
the long poles like troopers, but Rob & Kelley are next to start
tying-up their poles thanks to Rob's strength. Nadiya & Natalie
arrive at the site, get counted in and get the PIT STOP clue in
third. Back at the market, though, Jaymes & James untie and
toss some medium poles, feeling they are on the wrong side...and
Trey & Lexi think the poles were THEIRS since they landed on
top of their long ones. A bit of confusion quickly worked out...we
hope. Married Monster Trucks have the same hard time with Kelley
biking and Rob yelling. But they get the bamboo clue in fourth.
Oh, and Team Beekman Boys show up to TRY to catch up.

Jaymes & James start
to pedal off with their bamboo...not knowing they left three medium
ones behind! this might (inadvertantly) be the break Josh &
Brent are looking for. And finding a small black goat raises their
hopes considerably. Team Texas Two-Step get ready to head off...and
notice the three left behind by Team Fully Monty! Too late to warn
them now as they run into a convoy of trucks.

Nadiya & Natalie...they
are Team # 3...again. They're a bit bummed, but they like Muumuu
(the greeter) and say that, since they're Sri Lankan, the three
are "sisters".

And here's where Jaymes
& James get the bad news: they're three poles short. Oh, NOT
good. As they turn their rickshaw around, Trey & Lexi arrive
and clue them in. Jaymes, however, is exhausted from the heat of
the day and the (obvious) lack of food. James isn't much better.
But, as they say, "If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough!"
After dousing themselves with copius amounts of water, they stand
up and take the rickshaw back. Meanwhile, Team Texas Two-Step get
the PIT STOP clue in fifth. Meanwhile, Josh & Brent DRAG the
poles, two-by-two, through the maze and hope against hope that they
can catch up.

Rob & Kelley are checked-in
as Team #4. And there was much rejoicing. (Yeah...)

TThe Ja(y)mes Boys arrive
back at the bazar and, after a quick breath-catching, grab the three
forgotten poles to re-tie onto the rickshaw. Team Beekman Boys have
not given up yet, dragging and carrying the poles. They saved their
farm after losing their jobs...they can save this Race for themselves.

Trey & Lexi are Team
#5.

Two teams of men move
their rickshaws through the narrow streets, carefully avoiding everyone
as they are trailed by locals of all ages. Team Full Monty! get
their clue in 6th, but Josh & Brent are a few minutes behind...

But a few minutes isn't
enough. Jaymes & James are officially Team # 6...despite Jaymes
tripping mere feet from the mat.

Josh & Brent roll
up to the PIT STOP where they get the bad news they knew was coming:
Phil proclaims them the "last team to arrive".

"However..."

Ayup...took five Legs,
but we finally arrived at the first of three Non-Elimination Legs
(N.E.L.s) in the Race! The life partners are STILL Racing...although
they'll have a SPEED BUMP to overcome at some point in Leg 6. They're
happy...not just that they're still in it but because they each
have the greatest partner they could ever wish for. Awwwww...